# how can I install Ubuntu on my MacBook without removing Mac OS X



## #1 bro (Feb 24, 2009)

self explanatory

I have a intel-powered MacBook running Mac OS X Leopard and I want to install Ubuntu on it, or at least take it for a test run. However, I want to be able to revert back to Mac OS X anytime I want, or dual boot them, or whatever. Please explain to me how I can do this. 

I'm not great with technology, so make it as simple as possible, please...?


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## Zhorken (Mar 1, 2009)

You can run Ubuntu off of the installation CD to test it without installing anything.

During installation, it gives you the option to partition the drive; you can have it move OS X to one side before installing Ubuntu on the other.  It makes this fairly straightforward, iirc.


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## Lady Grimdour (Mar 1, 2009)

The only way is to dualboot.


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## Tarvos (Mar 1, 2009)

how does one dualboot ubuntu with windows 98 which is what I may do


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## Retsu (Mar 1, 2009)

People still use Windows 98?


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## Zhorken (Mar 1, 2009)

Watershed said:


> how does one dualboot ubuntu with windows 98 which is what I may do


Good fuck, you still have a Win98 box?  You'll want to go with Xubuntu, then; Ubuntu might be too much.  You also might just want to stick with 98 if you can't get a better computer; I doubt it would partition well.


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## Tarvos (Mar 1, 2009)

This pc is damn old, yeah. Iono, me and my dad are fixing this thing to check if ubuntu or xubuntu will work. if it doesn't i'll just end up using windows 98. 2000 will kill this thing.


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## Lady Grimdour (Mar 1, 2009)

Watershed said:


> This pc is damn old, yeah. Iono, me and my dad are fixing this thing to check if ubuntu or xubuntu will work. if it doesn't i'll just end up using windows 98. 2000 will kill this thing.


Xubuntu is your best bet, though Ubuntu is good with low specs.


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## #1 bro (Mar 5, 2009)

hmm, so if an Ubuntu disk is in the drive when the computer powers on, it's supposed to open up the Ubuntu installer, right? well... I've burned two disks and this doesn't happen with either of them.

I used the Apple Disk Utility and burned the file ubuntu-8.10-desktop-i386.iso onto a disk... what am I doing wrong?


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## IIMarckus (Mar 5, 2009)

Zeta Reticuli said:


> hmm, so if an Ubuntu disk is in the drive when the computer powers on, it's supposed to open up the Ubuntu installer, right? well... I've burned two disks and this doesn't happen with either of them.


You need to boot from the CD, not just have it in the drive. A bit of Googling says that you can boot from CD on Macs by pressing C on startup—I don’t have one so I can’t confirm.


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## #1 bro (Mar 5, 2009)

haha... lol

I'll try that I guess... feeling pretty stupid now :(


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## Zhorken (Mar 5, 2009)

Did you actually burn the disk image (if you're not sure what I mean and explicitly booting from CD didn't work, chances are you didn't), or just put the .iso itself on a CD?  A bit of research tells me that Apple Disk Utility can do both.


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## #1 bro (Mar 5, 2009)

yeah, I burned the disk image, and I can get the installer screen up, but then it likes to freeze on me. Usually I can get past the language selection screen, to the part where I choose "Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer". I hit it, and... nothing happens, and I can't press any keys. Then I turn it off. Today I waited for a while longer, and an error popped up saying something like "unable to read boot disk".

In a moment I think I'll try again.


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